Paterson's approval dips to all time low
(CNN) - New York Gov. David Paterson's approval rating has dipped to an all time low, a steep slide that began with his handling of the state's vacant Senate seat more than three months ago.
According to a new survey from Quinnipiac University, only 28 percent of New York voters approve of the job Paterson is doing, while only 22 percent say he deserves to be reelected to a second term. Just over half of the state's voters also say Paterson should announce immediately he will not seek reelection.
The poll also indicates New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo - who has received plaudits of late for his investigations into Wall Street bonuses - would trounce Patterson in a Democratic primary, 53-32 percent. Cuomo would also easily beat Republican Rudy Giuliani in a general election match up, 53-36 percent, according to the poll.
Paterson, whose approval stood at 53 percent last December, has been beset by a series of criticisms over his handling of Caroline Kennedy earlier this year and more recently the state's massive budget shortfall.
The survey also shows troubling signs for New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who replaced Hillary Clinton when she was tapped for Secretary of State earlier this year. Only 13 percent of New York voters approve of the job Gillibrand is doing while 33 percent disapprove. Over 50 percent remain undecided.
The poll also suggests Gillibrand would have a difficult primary race, should Rep. Carolyn McCarthy decide to run: McCarthy has a narrow 4 point edge over Gillibrand, 33-29 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,528 registered New York voters between April 1-5 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
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What's not to like about running up spending and then raising taxes in a recession? He's following the example of the president. You don't disapprove of the president, do you?
You know, it's not like he really asked for the job, he's just a placeholder.
As a resident of NY, I can confirm he is destroying the state. People want to leave here like rats on sinking ship.
Patterson is an economic killer, no doubt.
The citizens of NY will do well to remember how Cuomo takes his cues from the WSJ because he is too inept or reluctant to launch an investigation,
Chris Cox headed the SEC; Geithner headed the NY federal reserve board right under the nose of Cuomo and allowed the trading of corrupted mortgage backed securities, credit default swaps, etc., at the hands of financial giants without raising as much as a question or an eyebrow.
Let's go Andrew Cuomo. Please do not elect Giuliani as governor. His ego is too big for that office.
This is no surprise for the voters of NYS. We have a large budget shortfall but they just passed a new budget that increases spending by another 9%? The only plan this government can make is to increase taxes, fees, sales taxes and more taxes on new things like fast food, soft drinks, I believe they are planning on taxing the air we breathe. Andrew Cuomo and Rudy Giuliani are not the answer either they are not bringing any plans of reduced spending to the table.
"We the People" of NYS are taxed to death and our state will die along with these taxes.
Gillibrand hasn't been in office long enough for one to form a meaningful opinion on her performance. I'd be interested in how the survey questions were worded. Her historical opposition to gun-grabbing, however, makes her preferable to McCarthy any day, whose support for same is her political raison d’être.
Paterson's being ostracized because he's got the guts to tell it like it is, instead of pandering to political groups or New Yorkers. We've got a big problem, and he's trying to do something about it. All New Yorkers are doing is complaining about it instead of being part of the solution.
Governor Paterson has my support as a result. Stop your crying, New York.
Patterson has proven himself to be a political hack who is incapable of leading. He is rolling over to the special interests who want to spend even more money for their pet projects and raise taxes even higher. Patterson will be out of a job on the next election day.
Cuomo sounds good to me.
he's the wrong man in the wrong job at the wrong time..He really needs to just leave
The one-party system in NY never ceases to amaze me. Toss out one failutre in exchange for another.
The state is a joke right now. Upstate New York gets the shaft with state funding as it is, but it is even worse now. Our taxes are through the roof, and there are so many people getting laid off. I can all but guarantee that NY is losing a few electoral votes after next years census. Many people that I have talked to are looking to head south...there is no reason to stay here if there are no jobs AND crappy weather, with one of the highest tax bills in the country!
I want Spitzer back. It annoys me greatly that Spitzer was the victim of character assassination, I'm positive there are politicians that guilty of far worse who still hold their offices. I'm amazed it's taken this long for the rest of everyone to realize Patterson is an unfit Governor. The man even stated he never intended to be one!
Too bad he can't see the writing on the wall.
Hey, Mississippi Mike – were you complaining when Bush and Co. and the Republicans were spending like we had a bottomless pit? Also, remember, we are still spending $10 BILLION dollars a month in Iraq (remember, Bush's war that has left our front pages) and is anyone looking for the missing $125 Billion in Iraq that is unaccounted for? And we complain about AIG bonuses.......
One question for anyone who might be backing Cuomo because of his investigation into Wall Street bonuses, what crime was committed with these bonuses? I have yet to see any law that has been broke. We can agree that taking the bonuses was outright despicable, but it didn’t break any law. You can’t just bring charges against someone because the popular sentiment is to punish these people. People need to wake up and realize our Constitutional rights are being trampled.
I would so like to see Carolyn McCarthy run for Senate. Gillibrand's pro-gun, homophobic politics are anathema to the great majority of New Yorkers.
This is a problem of Paterson's own making.
Consider this....
Not a SINGLE candidate for US Senate from upstate New York has won election in more than 40 years (and, in once case – Charles Goodell, – was appointed by the governor, but lost the subsequent general election in 1970)!!! Yet, Mr. Paterson claimed that New York was in urgent need of a senator from upstate.
I am happy to donate to the campaign of anyone willing to run against Senator Gillibrand in the primaries.
This is just the beginning of the downfall of the dems. TAX TAX TAX you to death.
Good grief. I understand why Limbaugh left.
did they really even give him chance?
What a surprise. Everyone had such high expectations of him......
Well, considering he was elected as Eliot Spitzer's Lt. Gov. and noboby expected him to become Governor when Spitzer had to step down, it isn't surprising he's doing a lousy job. Spitzer was a womanizing pig, but since he is such an ugly man, do you blame him for hiring high price hookers.? He would have done a much better job as Governor than Patterson if he hadn't gotten into trouble.
Oh, and I live in NY and voted for Spitzer and Patterson.
Fundamental flaw with this survey. Paterson wasn't elected in the first place so how can there be opinions on his re-election. Although he hasn't been any worse than the way to many years of Pataki. NY has raised spending and taxes through the past quite a few administrations regardles of party or economic times for the country. The main precipice here seems to be that "the city" drains the rest of the state of money. NYC wins lawsuits for more school funding, that money is taken from the rest of the states performing schools to go to NYC under-performing schools which in turn has lowered the performance of the rest of the sate. We need two NY states the real New York State and the Lower NY State.